What is Middle Notes?
I’ve always been a fangirl of fragrance and I’ll be the first to admit my knowledge isn’t entirely there and what I do have is entirely self-taught and read about. I got a chance to write a little bit about perfume during my time at The Cut which I had never done before and realized that I really loved doing. So here’s why I’m starting Middle Notes. First, I’m naming it after the heart notes of a perfume, because that’s what makes the foundation of a fragrance—it’s the lingering parts of it. The parts that are burned into your scent memory like a boy’s cologne who I danced with in 7th grade or my grandma’s White Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor. I also like that it’s in the middle, which is where I feel like I fit with my perfume knowledge.
As for the substance and cadence of this here ol’ newsletter, I’ll likely post every other week, which will go back and forth between paid and free. Each will consist of a few capsule reviews of different fragrances, some sort of medium length feature about perfume whether that’s something new on my radar, a return of an old classic, mini profiles, Q&As, pop culture, who even knows! And each will end with some of my witty commentary on a perfume ad. So if you feel like sending me suggestions, perfume questions, or if you are a publicist who wants to send me perfume, please reach out. I hope you’ll subscribe and enjoy <3
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Why Should I Pay?
Because hopefully I can prove to you I do know something about perfume that’s helpful and you’d maybe like to help me pay my rent.
Who Am I?
I’m Kerensa Cadenas, a writer and editor based in New York. I’ve previously held positions at Thrillist, The Cut, Entertainment Weekly, and Complex.
I’m currently freelancing because I can’t find a job—so I figured let’s try everything at the moment. Lately, you can find my writing at GQ, Elle, Bazaar, Daily Beast, Bustle, Nylon, Little White Lies, Rolling Stone, Jezebel, The Wildest, Service 95, and Vogue. Previously, I’ve written for publications like Vanity Fair, Vulture, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Esquire and others.
Most of my writing focuses on entertainment and culture, but I’ve had the chance to expand it a bit more into fashion, travel, pets, and perfume.
In general, I love cats, cooking, dancing, gossiping about people I don’t know, theme parties, cleaning my apartment while stoned, refurbishing my wardrobe, sending memes to friends, and I’m sure a ton of other things I can’t remember.
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